Recycling was focus of talk for St. Bernard Council -Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community: Chalmette Matters

We have all heard the saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” This does not only pertain to old records or torn up jeans you see at a garage sale. Most of the items and objects we absentmindedly toss in the garbage can actually serve a purpose in daily life. Maxine Wilson, vice president of the St. Bernard Parish Council-Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community, knows that while recycling and reusing objects is great for the environment, it is also a cost effective way to make your life easier.

Maxine Wilson, vice president of the St. Bernard Parish Council for Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community, shows how pool noodles can be used to shore up boots for storage. She conducted a talk on recycling at the Area 1 meeting of Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Communty July 15.

Wilson shared her knowledge about recycling during a talk July 15 at the Area 1 LVFC meeting at Rosaryville in Pontchatoula.

One of her most memorable items was a boot straightener made using a cut down pool noodle. Another of Wilson’s ideas involved using a wire trash can over a lamp bottom to hold earrings. For Christmas decorations, Wilson flipped over wine glasses, filled the bottoms with ornaments and placed candles on top. She uses foam toe dryers to keep small sewing machine bobbins organized and uses shower curtain hooks as scarf holders.

For years, Wilson has enjoyed her creative and environmentally friendly hobby. “I have always done it (recycling)," she said. "We would go camping a lot with my family, and we would always make sure we left the campground cleaner than when we arrive. It is instilled in me.”

Wilson said that the benefit of re-purposing objects is not only economical, but rewarding. “It's just a pleasure to create,” she said. “And hopefully the little things we do can make a small difference in our future.”

With the busy schedules of today, the idea of re-purposing items can seem overwhelming and even impossible. Wilson said that the key to making it work is time and organization.

“It is easy to begin over-collecting," she said. "People like to get rid of stuff they don’t need.” Just an extra container here and there for these items can help with organization, Wilson said.

Wilson was elected to be the state environmental chairman of the LVFC. Currently, in her second term, she provides small books about re-purposing and reusing items for distribution.

Use a wire trashcan over a lamp stand to hold earrings.

The LVFC is a statewide organization and volunteer club with the mission of offering support and volunteer services to charities and schools in Louisiana. There are four chapters within the St. Bernard Parish Council.

Proceeds raised by the organization go towards charities and scholarships for residents. This year, the LVFC raised $20,000 through its annual Christmas Tour of Homes. On Aug. 17, the group will hold its annual Christmas in August at the St. Bernard Council on Aging office.

The event will feature a luncheon with crafts and raffles. Proceeds will go toward presenting four $1,000 scholarships for students living in St. Bernard.

For more information on the event, call Treasurer Judy Hamilton at 259 8982, St. Bernard VFC Council President Faye Shirley at 289 8630 or Marketing Director Nora Egan at 884.6791.

Becca Chapman writes about people and events in Chalmette. She can be reached at 504-481-6516 or through email at chalmettematters@gmail.com.